If don’t know anything about geocaching, flip over to our geocaching page for a quick overview of the game.
I first wrote about the 366 day geocaching challenge in February 2012, when our stats page showed that in more than 5 years of geocaching, there were still 73 calendar dates out of 366 when we’d never found a single geocache. So starting on Leap Day 2012, I set out to fill in all the blanks.
A year ago today, I failed to find a single geocache. But last winter I kept working away at the other blank days until we had just one blank day left: November 28.
Aside from the 31 days of geocaching challenge in August, we haven’t done too much hunting for geocaches in the past 6 months, although we hid more than 20 new caches in August and September. So it’s a good thing something brought this challenge to mind late last week. When I checked my calendar, I realized I’d forgotten to set a reminder!!!
Anyhow, with that major oversight remedied, I did a little planning around the fact that I had to take the vehicle in for servicing today. I located a few geocaches we haven’t yet found within reasonable walking distance of the dealership, so I packed a small bag with 2 GPS receivers, a pencil, geocaching gloves, etc. and as soon as I dropped off the vehicle I headed out on foot.
I was so happy I found the very first geocache I searched for…a clear tube (known as a preform) in the center of a thick bush and buried in leaves and snow.
Then I found a second one (a micro in a spruce tree, otherwise known as MIST – one of my least favourite kinds of hides, but when you’re walking, you can’t be too particular). Then I failed to find a third one (also a MIST), so I decided to call it quits for today, with my primary mission accomplished.
Here’s proof!
As for our next big milestone, that’ll be find #4000 (about 200 finds to go). Are you currently working on any geocaching milestones or challenges?
Congratulations!
I’m working on the same goal, but I’ve tied it into a 365 day streak goal as well. I started geocaching in May 2012 but it failed to interest me to any great extent. That’s how things were until February 2013, when I caught the bug – big time. From May 2012 to February 2013, I found 5 geocaches. Since February, I have found 961, and haven’t missed a day since February 15th. I won’t be able to complete my geocaching Finds by Found Date grid until 2016. My current goal is to cache daily through to Feburary 14th 2014. Then I’ll see if it’s feasible to keep the streak going longer or not – I’m running out of caches between my home and work.
Good for you for having the drive and self-discipline to go caching every day for a year. We found close to a thousand caches two years in a row early on I our caching days and since then have been opportunistic catchers, mostly on vacation or if we’re out hiking. Good luck achieving your goal.